Tulsa Women’s Tennis Pummels Arkansas, 4-1

Monday, February 24

Tulsa, Okla.

2:00 p.m.

Tulsa

Arkansas

Photo by: Alina Lebedeva

Tulsa Women’s Tennis Pummels Arkansas, 4-1

2/24/2025 5:32:00 PM | Women's Tennis

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TULSA, Okla. — The surging Tulsa women's tennis team got its second consecutive win over a ranked opponent Monday afternoon, dismantling Arkansas in a 4-1 decision on the home indoor courts of the Michael D. Case Tennis Center. The Golden Hurricane's third win in the last four matches moves them to 10-3 on the season.

The doubles point was clinched for TU by freshman Isabella Basson and sophomore Tayla Wilmot in the three-spot after senior pair Ana Naranjo Martinez and Mariana Manyoma Velasquez upset No. 78 Grace O'Donnell and Anet Koskel in the second court. Both of Tulsa's victories came in 6-1 decisions.

Seniors Maria Berlanga Bandera and Lily Hutchings, ranked 46^th in the nation, successfully held off their Arkansas opponent in the first position long enough for their teammates to secure the opening score without added pressure, leaving their match unfinished down 5-3.

Tulsa then jumped ahead 3-0 to start singles play after No. 99 Berlanga defeated No. 93 Carolina Gomez 6-3, 6-1 in the No. 1 court and Velasquez followed with a 6-2, 6-3 rout over Koskel in the No. 3 position.

Arkansas tried to ignite a comeback with a two-set win in the fifth position, but it wasn't enough as Wilmot in the fourth court erased second-set deficits of 3-1, 5-3 and 5-6 to force a seven-point tiebreaker at six games all. She dominated the tiebreaker set 7-1 to win 6-4, 7-6 (7-1) to clinch the 4-1 win for the Hurricane and end the day's action.

Hutchings left her match unfinished up 3-0 in the third set, and Naranjo was one game away from winning at 6-4, 5-4 in the sixth spot when Wilmot sealed the deal for TU.

The Tulsa women will be back in eight days to host No. 65 Wichita State (4-5) on Tuesday, March 4, for the Hurricane's second American Athletic Conference match this season.

Singles
1. #99 Maria Berlanga Bandera (TU) def. #93 Carolina Gomez (ARK) 6-3, 6-1
2. Lily Hutchings (TU) vs. Olga Bienzobas (ARK) 5-7, 6-4, 3-0, unfinished
3. Mariana Manyoma Velasquez (TU) def. Anet Koskel (ARK) 6-2, 6-3
4. Tayla Wilmot (TU) def. Grace O'Donnell (ARK) 6-4, 7-6 (7-1)
5. Katarina Pavlechova (ARK) def. Saniya Singh (TU) 6-2, 6-2
6. Ana Naranjo Martinez (TU) vs. Jimena Gomez (ARK) 6-4, 5-4, unfinished

Doubles
1. #46 Berlanga/Hutchings (TU) vs. C. Gomez/Bienzobas (ARK) 3-5, unfinished
2. Naranjo/Velasquez (TU) def. #78 O'Donnell/Koskel (ARK) 6-1
3. Basson/Wilmot (TU) def. J. Gomez/Pavlechova (ARK) 6-1

Order of finish: Doubles (2,3); Singles (1,3,5,4)